Thursday, March 29, 2012

Spent the day wandering around Regina. I sat in on the Legislative assembly and listened and observed. The outside of this building is much more impressive then the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly. The speaker was texting while someone was addressing him - now granted it was a very loooong tirade about why the budget was not a good one and 90% of it did not make any sense whatsoever... cameras were strictly forbidden - too bad.
Wandering about the building was also forbidden... however I just took a round-about way to get back to the front door - check the regular blog.
Okay enough politics.

I love this photo - sun was right, sky was perfect and the fellow on the phone adds the reality touch! I added a bit of HDR effect in Lightroom 4
I may have to print this one - what do you think?

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Went out looking for photos of Yorkton landscape again today - but nothing I liked. Since yesterdays RR shot left the van covered in muck, and since David washed it at 6:30 this morning, I was asked to please stay off grid roads today or else wash it when I came back. So here is a shot of the living room of the condo. Our little home away from home is slowly coming together. The canvas on the wall is from our recent trip to Maui.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012

I bought this little "lighthouse" for the condo in Yorkton. I am trying to give this little hideaway of ours a bit of a nautical theme - yellows and blues. I have my canvas of Peggys Cove up and a new canvas of the ocean waves from a photo taken in Maui last month. I am trying to get that New England feel even though I have never been to the New England states - it is on our bucket list and very near the top. I want to see and photograph Boston.
So kind of liking my little light house.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

I bought a Kobo a week ago. Brought it home, added a few books, strained my eyes and decided this wasn't for me so I returned it. The credit back on my Visa inspired me to purchase real books. I have read several Scott Kelby books - love his writing and he makes me laugh on every page. So I bought book 3 in his series ( I have book 1 and so far am managing without book 2) I am also enjoying a Canadian author, David duChemin. He is a great writer who makes learning the tech stuff so easy and enjoyable. But what I am enjoying the most is the inspiration I get from reading his books. I will be rereading his books.

I do more then enough reading on my computer every day - hours of it. Perhaps that is why I enjoy a book in my hand at the end of the day.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

I bought pink boots for Eva at our last visit to Walmart where I learned our very easy going Eva is not so easy when things are not going her way. We survived. Grandma won, which is very important. Eva doesn't usually do pink, but they were the only ones in her size.
We took Eva to the zoo today, Saturday. Her last hurrah with G&G before we return her to life with a new sibling. She was interested in the geese and the lion but mostly all the other kids.

I was interested in the American Bald Eagle

But Eva will be the official photo of the day. More shots of our zoo visit on the blog.
PS - the house was back in order as of 7 pm this evening.
Did not get to birthday shopping..... Monday?
Still researching the 50mm 1.2 or the 85mm 1.2
Advise?

Thursday, March 15, 2012

I am thrilled to present our third grandchild and Eva's sister, Norah Grace who was born early this morning. She is a beauty! Mom and Norah are doing well and Eva is having a blast getting spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa. More photos on the blog shortly - but first I have to get Eva to bed and myself to bed - haven't slept (other then 15 min cat naps) since Tuesday night.

Does she look familiar?

Below is Eva moments after her birth.

Norah has less hair and brown rather then black hair.

Grandpa and I are thinking we are going to have a whole lot of fun with these two!
We are just thrilled with her safe arrival.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Yes, Eva had her first ice cream cone today. The poor girl has a bad cold (along with her Mom) so it wasn't the greatest of experiences but it passed the time. She stubbornly insisted the ice cream cones were to stay in the holders - no discussion! We took them out, she put them back. Next time I will just hand her the ice cream cone - no holder!
I seem to spend a lot of time keeping Eva entertained these days - we watched Chitty Chitty bang Bang AGAIN today!
Hope she is feeling better soon.... I think she may have some inkling that life as she knows it is about to change. She will be sharing the spotlight with her baby sister any day now.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

We arrived home safely but plan to stay off highways for a while. Two long days of travel are enough.
Spent Saturday with Eva. David taught her Excel. Okay they watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on the laptop but I am sure Eva will have Excel mastered in no time! She is incredibly attracted to all things computer related. And her Grandpa!

Friday, March 9, 2012

We spent over 10 hours on the road today. Again. First we travelled east to N Ontario to see Davids father who is in very poor health. We were able to visit for three hours before he was air lifted to a bed on Thunder Bay. We were very impressed with the TLC and professional care he received from the medics preparing him and caring for him on this flight.

Then we did an about face and headed for home to be there for the birth of our grand daughter. Not quite home as I type - overnighting in Yorkton. Just 3.5 hrs to go tomorrow.
Met white out conditions on the way there and pretty good conditions the way back. Last hour was ice covered with lots of blowing snow which slowed us down. Like in this photo. Happy to be in our own bed here in Yorkton. Will be happier still to be home in Saskatoon tomorrow.
Not a lot of time for photos today.

Now on to waiting for the new grand daughter to arrive - so good of her to wait for us. :)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Took Eva and Mommy for lunch again today - just because I can, finally, and baby sister is hinting at coming sooner then later. I am having trouble imagining enjoying lunch out with two of them right now. Between car seats, highchairs and diaper bags (not to mention Grandma's camera bag) we would have to secure a corner of the restaurant. Although Allison, poor girl, would like to get this new daughter born.
Eva enjoyed peanut-butter ice cream pie with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. So did we. :)

I have two 365 photos today... well actually I have close to 40 but I did narrow them down. If I posted too many I might loose you. Eva's chagrin is THE 365 but I am also throwing this one in too.

News Bulletin
There was an invasion of caterpillars today. The streets of Saskatoon were swarming with the huge bugs causing traffic delays and disgruntled drivers. They are expected to move on by this evening. Streets should be clear of them by 5 am. No casualties reported.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

It has been a mild winter. It has lulled us into the unfounded assumption that spring is just around the corner. It isn't! March blizzards are the norm, lest we forget. And they bring with them lots of wet, heavy snow. Which is great for making snowmen but I am not so inclined today. :)

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Despite being over watered 4 weeks ago and then completed ignored for the next four weeks, my orchid continues to have five beautiful blooms. I wonder if they are hanging on until April 14th, the date when Dad died last year. That was the last time they bloomed. That would be nice. They do remind me of him.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

What a day!
First we got to park in the special spots - you know "for expectant and new parents" It should read parents/grand parents. Then I got to ask for a cookie from the bakery - because I had a toddler in tow. She happily shared it with grandpa!

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Copyright

All photos on this blog are the property of Julie Cortens.Please do not copy, download or use in any way without first contacting me.

My joy!

"To find exciting things all around, sometimes in the most familiar places, fascinates me. Showing these things to others is my way of sharing that joy. That's all there is to it. No drawn out explanations, no spiritual intervention, no existential undercurrents, just good, strong photographs!" Leon Strembitsky